Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: Limpy on May 18, 2013, 06:29:54 PM
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I have been having recurrent head and general body aches -pain my right hand side - I have MS it happens.
I requested Amitriptyline recently to try and break the headache / pain cycle.
I have taken it before, but got fed up with feeling "brain dead".
However, recently, I have been getting more headaches and body pain......
The information leaflet mentions weight gain as a side effect.
I had asked the pharmacist whether this would be permanent effect, or go when the tablets were stopped.
He said he wasn't sure but assumed it would stop when the tablets were stopped.
So ladies I would really like to know if anybody has had permanent weight gain problems with Amitriptyline, or in fact other medication when the tablets were stopped?
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I have never taken it but I am sorry you are feeling bad.
I don't think any weight gain has to be permanent. It can always be dealt with after you begin to feel better in yourself.
The important thing is to feel better.
Honeyb
X
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Thanks Honeyb, I hope it isn't, just don't want to turn into more of a blob.
I took 1 tablet last night and things were a bit better this morning, head wasn't hurting.
But, I was a bit slow doing washing up type things, OH was making coffee.
Gave me a very snotty look when I didn't get out of the way quickly enough for him! ???
He made a big point of saying later that Amitritypline didn't agree with me last time.
That is true, but I don't want to get into the paracetamol codeine vicious cycle.
I definitely don't want to get podgier than I am at the moment - what to do? ::)
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I remember years ago my mother deciding to give up smoking.
She knew she would probably gain weight but that was something that she dealt with when the cigarettes were a thing of the past.
Tell your hubby you need his support.
They are not the most patient of the species are they.
::)
Honeyb
X
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Honeyb :thankyou:
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Hi Limpy
Sorry you're not feeling too good. Apparently Amitriptyline can either cause weight gain or weight loss - I have been taking it since last November and it certainly has helped with my pain and I am sleeping much better - oh and I have lost 2 stone since taking it so you may not put on weight. That was one of the things that worried me about taking it as I was getting quite podgy but to be honest I would prefer not to be in such pain than putting on a bit of weight. The feeling of being "brain dead" soon disappears once your body is used to the tablets.
I have heard that it can be very difficult to come off them but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
Hope you feel better soon. :)
Katy x
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Was on them (10mg) for months and months for chronic pain. They did help me to remain asleep once I finally dropped off (less trips to the loo in the night :o) but I was fed up with the whole zombie morning thing so I stopped taking them.
Had some strange side effects from quitting, including insomnia / disorientation, but eventually got my mornings back. (Think it took about 2 weeks to feel 'normal' again).
I swore I'd never go back on them but since getting frozen shoulder (on top of other chronic pain conditions) I opted to go back on them so I could get some much-needed sleep.
I find if I take my tablet before 6pm I can manage to get up in the morning without feeling too spaced out. (I suggest you try taking them several hours before bedtime).
I have the strangest vivid dreams, but I'm not entirely sure the amitriptyline's to blame.
Did the paracetamol codeine thing and while it helped in the first week or so it soon wore off and I had a real battle to get off them.
Can't tell whether it's those tablets, menopause, bad diet or one of my other meds that's making me chubby (probably a combination of everything) so can't comment on the weight thing. I guess if I slept better at night I'd be more able / inclined to exercise more during the day to burn off the extra calories I'm consuming from comfort eating...
I guess, like most things, everyone's different and will have different reactions / side-effects to meds x
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Thanks Ladies
Katy - the idea of weight being lost is so cheering!
Panda - like you I swore I would never use them again, but pain is wearing, and I really want to avoid the paracetamol codeine thing.
The good news is that I don't feel as brain dead this morning, but a headache woke me up. :(
However it did go with Ibuprofen which is a definite improvement :)
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Hi Limpy,
Ive been taking amytriptylin 10mg on and off for nearly 2 years now, to help with stress related acid reflux.
I've experienced some weight gain probably because it increases my sense of well being and calms by stomach down and I tend to get chocolate cravings now which Ive never had before. Ive definetly put a few pounds on but feel much more relaxed so its swings and roundabouts I guess.
Its certainly worth a try :)
Dede
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Hi Dede
I've been feeling so much calmer after starting HRT.
With amitriptyline, I'll probably get so laid back I'll fall over!
Well, at least I won't fret if I get podgier ;D
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Hi Limpy I've been taking Aimtriptyline for about 10yrs now, I did gain a lot of weight but I put it down to my sedentary life style due to my fibromyalgia and other problems.... I went to Slimming World lost the 4stone I had gained with in 6 months and have managed to maintain a healthy weight for the last 2 yrs. It's not been easy but I don't think the amitriptyline is the problem....it's my stupid sweet tooth and the fact that my eyes are bigger than my stomach.....LOL! x
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hi limpy/ not been on here for a while.been taking 50mg amitriptyline for over 4 years now iv put a lot of weight on .i did blame it on the tablets its one of the sideafects i was put on it for anxiety and depression after having a breakdown was going through menopause as well .apart from feeling like a zombie in the mornings it does help with sleep and pain.the weight gain can be helped with a change of diet as we know ,it could be a couple of things for me iv also got a sweet tooth and i enjoy my food it does make you feel calm as well its worth giving it a try for a while i tried other antidepressant .but iv always finished back on the amitriptyline cant take hrt iv tried got bad sideafects ,you can also get cravings for sweet stuff with amitriptyline another sideafect.try to control it if you can .x daisie
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Thanks Wendi and Daisy
You have both highlighted the fact that I need to control my chocolate intake!
The trouble is now and again, reports come out saying plain chocolate is good for you.
I fall on these saying look it's healthy, trouble is I think they mean a little, not the bucketful I have ::)
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same with me cant have a couple of pieces got to have the full bar ,i need to get a possitive head on and loose some weight..not as active as i was before the menopause it seems to have slowed me down in some way . im 58 now and still not over it yet x daisie
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I love my chocolate too, also like muffins, cookies, cake, biscuits etc.... ;D I do have to substitute my unhealthy sweet kick with healthy ones so I eat a lot of fruit and just now I'm in to Muller light black cherries and chocolate yoghurt with frozen blue berries and morello cherries added, the frozen fruit turns the yoghurt to ice cream... hmmmm it's lush! LOL
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I've been taking 10mg since last year and have recently upped to 20mg - I take mine about an hour before I go to bed and it helps me stay asleep during the night. Haven't noticed any particular weight gain though and the woozy head feeling does pass after a while :)
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sounds like me i love yougart eat loads of it ,,cant believe it iv a craving for ice cream now..dont know where that cravings come from i eat it nearly every night.then i feel so guilty after..wonder if its a menopause thing as well x daisie
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Thanks Greyhoundgal - I think the brain fog wooziness may be improving a little (3 days so far), hope so :)
Wendi & Daisie - Yoghurt HAS to be healthy, so it's no problem if we eat lots of it surely?
Ooops forgot I tried that logic with Chocolate......... ;D
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Hi Limpy,
Just wanted to say my hubby was on Amitriptllyne to prevent migraine, he was on it for six months and he did put on weight but lost it again when he stopped, he was told by doctor to just stop takings it as it did nothing to prevent his migraines and made him feel bloated and tired all the time I can tell you that the side effects if you stop taking it suddenly are a bit like hay fever and a bit like your coming down with a cold but did pass after about a month.
Have you thought about trying Nortriptyline again as I think you said you had tried it before as that works for tension heads and also works well for nerve pain for my ms the starting dose is 30mg and for some people works at this low dose it got rid of my tension heads at 30mg and nerve pain at 65mg sometimes even 5mg dose is the difference between pain and no pain.
It doesn't make you put on weight, or make you zoned out or sleepy well not me anyway.
Hope this helps
Ann
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Hi Smokey,
I really didn't want to go on Amitriptyline again, but the headaches have been getting worse along with pain along my right hand side. I thought I would try Amit again, to at least get some sleep. I haven't been getting as brain dead this time, so we will see.
I see the GP in a month, so probably will talk about Nortriptyline then.
The trouble is, I had my biggest MS type fall when on Nortripyline. ???
But needs must, not entirely convinced Amittriptyline is doing much for the pain :-\
Thanks